At least six victims are dead after being stabbed by a knifeman in a rampage at a Sydney shopping centre.
Thousands of customers were locked in store storage areas as the killer ran through Westfield Bondi Junction on Saturday, randomly shooting down victims including a baby.
The horror incident took place at around 3.20pm when a man wearing a Kangaroos rugby league jersey stabbed nine people, including a baby, before being shot by a heroic female officer.
At least two people are believed to have been attacked inside the Chanel boutique, near the makeup and fragrance counter.
The frenzy at the mall continued with horror footage showing terrified shoppers running for their lives as a brave father sprang into action to defend his family as the crazed killer approached.
Within minutes, social media exploded with terrifying accounts from witnesses as police, including public order and riot police, swarmed the eastern suburbs shopping center and evacuated and sealed off the facility.
A video shared by a bystander showed the alleged attacker chasing a group of shoppers before a man turned to look at him
Customers trapped in the complex desperately sent messages to their loved ones to let them know all was well
One woman warned others not to go near Westfield while the alleged attacker was still at large
Shoppers run through Bondi Junction as police lock down the center after reports of a major incident
Shoppers were evacuated to store warehouses to escape the killer
Gruesome images of the knifeman’s aftermath show victims lying in pools of blood.
Shoppers and store staff were caught up in the chaos and provided first aid before police and paramedics arrived and took the victims to hospital.
All available ambulances were called to the scene.
Heartbreaking footage shows the moment a customer at the top of an escalator, armed with a bollard, tried to stop the knifeman.
Victims of the attack were left lying in the mall as police worked to stop the attack
Bloodstains are seen in a store in the mall
Four people have reportedly been stabbed, one fatally, and a man shot dead by police at Bondi’s Westfield shopping center in Sydney.
The tactical police prepare to storm the mall
Tactical police are depicted with long-arm weapons
Paramedics are pictured taking a victim to an ambulance
A victim is seen being placed in an ambulance
Traumatized shoppers, many young families, told of the horror attack.
One young woman was visibly distraught by what had happened.
“It was like the worst thing ever,” she told reporters.
‘Who does that to people?’
She said she saw a woman lying in Chanel who was believed to have been murdered.
“I thought I was going to die,” she said.
During a dramatic live crossover on 9News, a witness interrupted him and pointed to his brother and said, “He’s a hero – he saved the baby.”
The clearly shaken hero said he used clothes from a store to stop the baby’s bleeding.
“The baby was stabbed and, yes, the mother was stabbed,” he said.
‘The mother came to me with the baby and threw him at me.
“I just helped by holding the baby… and trying to compress the baby.”
The brothers stayed with the mother and called emergency services.
“(It was) really bad… a lot of blood on the floor… I hope the baby is okay,” the other brother said.
The injured mother had blood coming from her mouth, he said.
It is understood that the baby is undergoing surgery and the mother is in critical condition in hospital.
The baby who was among the nine stabbing victims is pictured being taken into an ambulance
Among the first to be attacked was reportedly a woman and her baby (not pictured)
Police are in large numbers and the Australian Federal Police are now liaising with NSW Police in case the joint counter-terrorism team is needed
Witnesses recalled hearing “blood-curdling screams” coming from the mall
The ordeal finally came to an end when a heroic female officer took action.
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke said as the knifeman walked through the centre, witnesses pointed an inspector in his direction.
“She confronted the perpetrator who had gone to level five at this stage. As she continued to walk quickly behind him to catch up with him,” he said.
‘He turned around, looked at her and raised a knife. She discharged a firearm and that person is now deceased.”
It is understood that after shooting the knifeman, she then rushed to resuscitate one of his victims.
The ordeal finally came to an end when a heroic female officer sprang into action and shot the knifeman dead (scene pictured)
The female police officer who took down the killer is considered a hero
Terrified shoppers are evacuated from the mall
The shoppers are shown after being evacuated from the scene
The photo shows an officer putting up police tape
A father’s stunning video illustrates how traumatic the scene was.
He was seen escorting his two children away from Bondi Junction Westfield, while his son and daughter wore eye masks to protect them from the horror.
He held both children close to him as he walked quietly out of the mall.
The mall is expected to remain closed for days, with even cars in the parking lot remaining during that time and forensic investigators meticulously scouring the scene for evidence.
A woman cries as she leaves Westfield Bondi Junction shopping center with her family
Emergency vehicles flooded the Bondi area in the aftermath of the attack